CK-12-Basic Probability and Statistics Concepts - A Full Course

http://www.ck12.org Chapter 3. Introduction to Discrete Random Variables

3.5 Theoretical and Experimental Spinners

Here you’ll learn the difference between theoretical probability and experimental probability. You’ll also simulate
the spinning of a spinner using technology to calculate experimental probability and compare this to the theoretical
probability.

If you have a spinner that is divided into equal portions of red, green, purple, and blue, what is the probability that
when you spin you will land on blue? If you spin the spinner 100 times will you get this same result? What about
1,000 times?

Watch This

First watch this video to learn about theoretical and experimental spinners.

MEDIA

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CK-12 Foundation: Chapter3TheoreticalandExperimentalSpinnersA

Then watch this video to see some examples.

MEDIA

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CK-12 Foundation: Chapter3TheoreticalandExperimentalSpinnersB

Guidance

The 2 types of probability are theoretical probability and experimental probability. Theoretical probabilityis
defined as the number of desired outcomes divided by the total number of outcomes.

Theoretical Probability

P(desired) =

number of desired outcomes

total number of outcomes

Experimental probabilityis, just as the name suggests, dependent on some form of data collection. To calculate
the experimental probability, divide the number of times the desired outcome has occurred by the total number of
trials.

Experimental Probability